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guest students

Become a Guest Student at UM-Flint

Graduate students at other colleges and universities can be permitted to take University of Michigan-Flint graduate courses without being formally admitted to a graduate degree program.  There are several ways a graduate student at another institution can take graduate courses as a guest student at UM-Flint.

Michigan Intercollegiate Graduate Study (MIGS)

The University of Michigan participates in the Michigan Intercollegiate Graduate Study (MIGS) Program. The MIGS Program creates exchange possibilities for graduate students currently enrolled in Michigan universities. Students in good standing at one institution may take advantage of course and research opportunities offered at another institution, provided that such opportunities are not available on the home campus. Students in master’s or specialist degree programs may enroll for six hours at a host institution while doctoral students may enroll for up to nine hours.

Rackham students from UM-Ann Arbor or UM-Dearborn

Rackham students from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and the University of Michigan-Dearborn may elect a course(s) in a UM-Flint Rackham program using the Rackham Graduate Guest Application for UM-Flint. Students must obtain permission from their program chair on their home campus as well as approval from the program director of the course they wish to take on the Flint campus.

Upon completion of course work at the Flint campus, the student will request an academic transcript from the Flint campus to be sent to the appropriate office at Ann Arbor or Dearborn for the credit to be evaluated.

Students must obtain, complete, and submit a UM-Flint Rackham Graduate Guest Application each semester they wish to enroll at the Flint campus.

General Guest Student Status

Students who have a bachelor’s or master’s degree from an accredited institution, are currently graduate students attending another institution and wish to take graduate courses not necessarily leading to a UM-Flint degree, and who cannot participate in the MIGS or Rackham guest programs (described above) are considered general graduate guest students.

How to Apply

If you wish to be a graduate guest student and you are not participating in the MIGS program or currently enrolled in a Rackham program at UM-Ann Arbor or UM-Dearborn, complete the Application for Graduate Lifelong Learning or Guest Admission and submit it together with the following supporting documents to the Office of Graduate Programs:

  • A transcript or diploma with bachelor’s or master’s degree posted.
  • Approval from your advisor (via a memo or email to the Office of Graduate Programs) in the program in which you enrolled or admitted.

Once admitted to the university, you must contact the academic department or program that offers the course(s) to get a registration override. Once the override is issued, you may register for the course(s).

Michigan Intercollegiate Graduate Study (MIGS) Students
Guest students from another public Michigan college or university that participates in the Michigan Intercollegiate Graduate Study program may apply using the MIGS application following this process:

  • The student and his/her academic advisor decide if the course(s) are appropriate to the program of study and are not available at the home university. The advisor discusses the plan with appropriate faculty members at UM-Flint.
  • The appropriate UM-Flint department is consulted to ensure that space is available for enrollment. The instructor or program director sends a memo or e-mails the approval to the Office of Graduate Programs.The approval must include the name of the course, course number, and the term for which the course is approved for election.
  • The student should obtain signatures from the student’s academic advisor and home institution’s MIGS Liaison Officer on the MIGS application.
  • The student sends the application to the Office of Graduate Programs. The Office of Graduate Programs will assist MIGS students in obtaining the Flint faculty, department chairperson, and the UM-Flint MIGS Liaison Officer signatures.

Guest Students from Ann Arbor or UM-Dearborn
For Ann Arbor and Dearborn Rackham students electing a course(s) on the Flint campus:

  • The student obtains a memo and signature on a UM-Flint Rackham Graduate Guest Application from the Ann Arbor or Dearborn Program Chair permitting him/her to take a course(s) on the Flint campus. Specific courses may be indicated (if course specific, it should include course number, section number, credit hours, and term), or the chair may allow whatever the student wants, usually specifying the number of hours for which the student is allowed to register.
  • The student takes the memo and the UM-Flint Rackham Graduate Guest Application to the department(s) on the Flint campus to obtain permission to elect the course(s). The faculty signature granting approval to elect the course(s) is required on the guest application. The student sends the completed UM-Flint Rackham Graduate Guest Application to the Office of Graduate Programs.

The Office of Graduate Programs will assist Rackham guest students in obtaining the Flint faculty signature if requested.

Guest Student General Policies

The following policies apply to Guest Students applying for graduate programs at UM-Flint.

  • A transcript, diploma, or other proof of a bachelor’s or master’s degree earned at an accredited institution is required for admission.
  • Guest students must obtain instructor and/or program director approval for each course they wish to elect.
  • Guest students must also obtain approval from their advisor in the program in which they are currently enrolled or admitted.
  • Prerequisites, grading standards, class assignments, and attendance requirements of a course apply to all students in that course, including guest students.
  • Colleges, departments, schools, and programs determine rules of access to their courses and may limit enrollment of guest students in certain courses.
  • Graduate guest students are not eligible for most sources of financial aid from UM-Flint. 
  • Guest admission is for one term only. Students who wish to enroll in a future term as a guest student must submit another application.